Film

Love Letters And Live Wires: Highlights From The GPO Film Unit

Cert: U

Description: Founded 75 years ago, the General Post Office's Film Unit promoted its various services and illustrated the communications revolution of the 1930s through the work of some of the most influential figures in the British documentary movement. This compilation of eight short films made between 1936 and 1939 highlights some of those directors whose work embraced social reportage, animation, advertising, drama-documentary and public information films, among them Alberto Cavalcanti, William Coldstream, Patrick Jackson, Len Lye, Norman McLaren, Lotte Reiniger, Harry Watt and Basil Wright

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Dir: Len Lye, Norman McLaren, William Coldstream, Patrick Jackson, Alberto Cavalcanti, Lotte Reiniger, Harry Watt, Basil Wright.

Cast: Evelyn Corbet, Dwight Godwin, Charlotte Leigh, Bob O'Brian

Country: UK.

Year: 1936-39.

Duration: 79mins

Shorts of distinction

Head of steam: the superb Night Mail

By Derek Malcolm
18 Sep 2008

These extracts from the GPO Film Unit’s Thirties films include Night Mail — one of the most evocative documentaries ever made, and several other shorts of distinction.

They are extraordinary works which deservedly became internationally renowned.

Now showing at the BFI Southbank and later at regional theatres across the country.